West Notes: Astros, Tulowitzki, Padres

The Astros have had an eventful offseason, but it sounds like most of the heavy lifting has been done already, as Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle writes. “I don’t know if we’re going to sign anybody on a major league deal, but there’s possibilities we’d bring another pitcher on the NRI (non-roster invitee) basis,” General Manager Jeff Luhnow said.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki isn’t stressing out about the constant trade talk surrounding him, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding writes. “In this game you never get relaxed,” Tulowitzki said. “Anything can happen. I’ve heard a few people say, ’As soon as I thought that I was going to stay somewhere, that’s when I got traded.’ So I won’t go there. Whatever they do, they do. Whatever happens, happens.” At this stage of the offseason, it seems unlikely that the shortstop will be moved, but he says that he’s prepared for any possibility. Tulowitzki is currently rehabbing a surgically repaired left hip labrum.

The Padres pulled the trigger on the Matt Kemp blockbuster thanks in large part to Logan White and his knowledge of the player, as Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego writes. “He had some good insight into Matt Kemp — the person, the makeup,” Padres VP of scouting operations Don Welke said of White. “One of the things he does that fits in with what A.J. [Preller] and I do is getting to know the person, background and family — going into all that. He’s very good at that.” White, whose current priorities include filling out his pro scouting staff, likely will have a significant role in the Padres’ international efforts going forward.